Making everyone happy is impossible. Pissing them off is a piece of cake. I like cake.

Friday, February 22, 2008

In the modern age...

Over a century ago, the Victorians used to shut away the mad, the halt and the lame (not to mention those who were merely inconvenient) in loony bins that were little more than particularly unpleasant prisons. The most famous of these was the Bethlehem Royal Hospital, colloquially known as "Bedlam"; this name has passed into the language.

These days, we have similar problems with those with mental illness and severe disabilities; services are under-funded, hospital places scarce and our prisons all to full of those who should not be there. What are we to do with these unfortunates?

Fuck knows, but I can tell you this: in Brixton, they all work in Woolworths.

Anyway, I shouldn't expect an awful lot from me: I have bought Iain M Banks' new Culture novel, Matter, and shall be reading that. Oh, and it's my little brother's eighteenth birthday on Sunday so I shall be taking a rare trip to my home town of Tonbridge, Kent.

But I have got a replacement for my mobile though: same number, for those who might need to get hold of me...

You should take a look at your local library. Seriously. The last time I used a library all the books were sticky and the place smelled of boiled cabbage (as all institutions seem to). But recently I discovered my local library's web site.

You can search the entire county online, and ask for a book. They bring it to the local library and send you an email when it's ready. It normally takes 1-2 days, which is faster than Amazon. And you get reminders to take it back, can check it back out online without going back if you want more time. They also have a whole load of newly published books in their catalogue.

I've decided to buy far fewer books, to the point of being in Waterstones today and seeing the new Ian M. Banks book and saying to myself "no, I'll get it via the library." Saves space too (I had to recently sell 2000 books when I moved house).

You know that those guys in the Brixton frontier outpost of the Woolworths Empire are all time-served members of "Crazies in the Community". After they graduate from Brixton they arrive in our local Comet store for a little post-grad research before moving on to their Masters at IKEA.

I thought the Victorians had rather a good way with the Mental cases (after reforms at Bedlam). Large instituitions with gardens for the inmates, fresh air and a relaxing atmosphere. Beats care in the community.

OO I do like those culture books but they are not a patch on Dune, the series, or the Foundation series or indeed the Helliconia series.Brian Aldiss is very good on Science Fiction and CS Lewis`s SF is an amazing protest and the spirtual emptiness of imagined futures.